INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, APRIL 20Groundwater plays an essential
role in the development of cities in Asia and the Pacific
It not only helps meet domestic, commercial and industrial water needs, it accounts for about one third of Asia's drinking water supply
In some cities, such as Ho Chi Minh City and Lahore, this figure is much higher
Many municipal water service providers in the region are diversifying their water sources, especially expanding surface water supply where
available, to build water security and reduce dependence on groundwater.
COVID-19 has shown countries, policymakers,
technocrats, businesspersons, and the media the mirror
water supply by April 15'
Compared with
alternatives such as desalination and water reuse, groundwater still offers a readily available, and cost-effective municipal water supply
Groundwater aquifers are also an important "reserve resource" that can be tapped during prolonged droughts when surface water is scarce
However, rapid groundwater depletion continues in the face of growing water demand.
In Asia, more than half of the 4
billion residents of developing countries lived in urban areas in 2019
Cities can expect an additional 1 billion residents by 2050.A version of this article appears in the print on April 21, 2022, of The
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com
